DES MOINES (de-moin'), the capital and largest city of Iowa, U.S.A., in the south-central part of the State, on the Des Moines river, at the mouth of the Raccoon; a port of entry and the county seat of Polk county. It is on Federal highways 32, 63, 65 and 69, has municipal and commercial airports, and is served by the Burlington, the Chicago and North Western, the Chicago Great Western, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific, the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern, the Minneapolis and St. Louis, the Rock Island and the Wabash railways, and by inter urban motor bus and trolley lines and additional railways for freight only. The population in 1925 (State census) was 141,441. At the Federal census in 192o about 87% were native white, 9% foreign-born white ; in 193o the population was 142,559.
The city lies on both banks of the river, at an altitude of 825ft., and has an area of 55.1 sq. miles. The State capitol (completed in 1882 at a cost of $3,000,000) stands on an eminence in a park of 8o acres. Near by is the State Historical, Memorial and Art build ing and the State library. Des Moines was one of the first among American cities to plan on a relatively generous scale for beauty in its development. A comprehensive city plan was adopted in 1924 and considerable progress has been made in carrying it out. Along the river front, through the heart of the city, extends the civic centre, in which have been erected (by 1928) a city hall ($5oo,000), a municipal court house ($600,000) and a coliseum with a seating capacity of 8,5oo and other accommodations for large conventions. When completed the centre will contain also a Federal court building (under construction) and other public buildings. The city's system of parks and playgrounds covers 97oac., and the grounds of the State fair, which has an attendance of over 400,000 each year, have an area of 600ac., and represent an investment of $1,5oo,000. On the northern border of the city is Des Moines university, a Baptist institution founded in 1865, which was bought in 1927 by the Baptist Bible Union of North America, and is operated by that organization. Drake univer sity, founded in 188i by the Disciples of Christ, is also located here, and co-operates with the city in maintaining a municipal observatory. The taxable valuation of property in 1927 was $79, 896,662. Adjoining the city on the south is Ft. Des Moines, an important army post, where almost a full regiment of cavalry is stationed, besides various other troops. At Camp Dodge, I'm. north, now used by the National Guard, thousands of soldiers were trained during the World War. Since i9o7 the city has been under a commission form of government, known as the "Des Moines Plan," which has been adopted by many other municipal ities. Des Moines has the highest percentage of home ownership among the large American cities (5i•i% in 192o). The percentage of illiteracy 0.3% of the total population io years of age and over in 192o) is one of the lowest ; the amount of child labour is small, and the death rate also is low.
In the heart of the corn belt, and surrounded by a coal-field which has produced as much as 2,5oo,000 tons in a year, Des Moines is an important commercial centre. The jobbing business of its 25o wholesale houses amounts to over $15o,000,000 annually. Its retail trading territory has a population of over 9oo,000. Incom ing and outgOing freight totals 2,5oo,000 tons in a year; and 200 package-freight cars leave the city daily. Manufactures also are important, with an output in 1927 valued at $76,108,331. Chief among them are meat products, flour, clothing, foundry products, brick and tile, printing and cosmetics. The printing and publish ing of newspapers and periodicals is one of the leading industries. The city is the principal centre for the publication of farm jour nals. Forty-six insurance companies, with aggregate assets of $209,684,409, have their home offices here.
In 1843 a military post called Ft. Des Moines was established on the site of the city to protect the rights of the Sacs and Foxes, and in the same year the district was opened to settlement by the whites. The town was incorporated in 1851. In 1857 it was chartered as a city and was made the State capital, superseding Iowa City. The population in 186o was 3,965, which grew to 12,035 in 187o, 22,4o8 in 188o, and 5o,o93 in 189o. Between 1890 and 192o, without any annexations of territory, the population increased 152%. The fort was re-established in 19oo. The name of city and fort was taken from that of the river, which is sup posed to be a corruption of the original Indian name, Moingona, by the French, who at first, using the abbreviation moin, called it riviere des moins, and later, through its association with the Trappist monks, changed it to la riviere des moines.